Stagnant Plant Growth - Help

[Ragnarok12]

Hi y'all,

I've had a 29 gallon US wild caught tank up and running for about 7 months and am struggling to get the plants to really take off. Or, well, grow much at all, actually. I have not been investing significant time into the aquarium, and have actually been traveling for a lot of the summer. I don't have a dosing routine, but I will throw a few squirts of easy green in there a few times a week. I'm running a Finnex Stingray 36 inch at 8 hours per day. Gravel is Eco Complete.

I've tried numerous stem plants and the only one that hasn't melted away to nothing is the Pogo Octopus, though they're loosing leaves on the bottom as fast as they are growing (kind of) at the top. The anubias are getting hit hard by algae accumulation, and the amazon sword hasn't grown in the slightest since planting it 6 months ago, despite some occasional root tabs in there below it. The crypts are the only things that seem genuinely happy. The fish are all doing fantastic and have been exhibiting spawning behavior, but the plants are a buzz kill, especially since this is my main display tank.

I added the salvinia thinking that shading my help cut back on the algae growth, but I'm still getting algae and I think the plants are suffering from lack of light. I was thinking of getting CO2 in there when the Co-op regulator comes out, but I feel like I should be able to get this thing into balance in its current state without relying on CO2. Let me know what you all would do in this position. Thanks in advance!

 

Here's my full stocking and parameters log:

Parameters

• Temp: 80F
• Filtration: Single Sponge
• Ph: 7.0
• Nitrates: ~25 ppm
• nitrites: ~0 ppm
• Gh: 3
• Kh: 2

Stocking (Fish)

• 8 Golden Topminnows (fundulus chrysotus)
• 4 Croaking Gouramis (trichopsis vittata)
• 1 Swamp Darter (Etheostoma fusiforme)
• 2 Eastern Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)

Stocking (Plants)

• Anubias nana and congensis
• Crypt wendtii Brown, wendtii green, and sri lanka
• Pogo Octopus
• Amazon Sword
• salvinia minima
• Jave fern kiat
• Tiger Lotus bulb (just added two days ago)
• Anubias hastafolia (just added, still in pot)

Here are some pics of the tank:

[Zenzo]

I suggest trying some Easy Root Tabs or a root fertilizer that is available to you. This will help your stem plants grow.

[Patrick_G]

It’s not looking all that bad. I bet if you get on a regular fertilizer dosing schedule those plants will start growing and in a few months they’ll be looking great. Cutting back on the light to 6 or 7 hours will help with the algae. Also try some more plants, a large plant mass seems to help control algae. Since crypts grow well for you try a few more varieties. I like Spiralis and Balansae, they both have long, tall leaves sort of like Valisneria. 

[JoeQ]

Maintenance goes a long way, I would suggest that the first thing (and most important thing) you should do is to get on a regular Maintenance/water change schedule then reassess. 

[nabokovfan87]

With the type of algae you have, a toothbrush will work really well to remove it.  Once you do that, you can siphon off the substrate and water.  That will help the plants as well to fight off the algae.

[Kurt Brutting]

I agree with everyone’s comments above. You are close hang in there! 
It took me a long time for my low tech aquariums to take off and it’s still a slow process. Regular maintenance, a good dosing routine, and lots of plants is key. 

[Ragnarok12]

Thanks everyone. Sounds like the consensus is just more consistency. I'll keep working on it and see if I can turn it around.

[Mmiller2001]

On 8/15/2022 at 12:07 PM, Patrick_G said:

It’s not looking all that bad. I bet if you get on a regular fertilizer dosing schedule those plants will start growing and in a few months they’ll be looking great. Cutting back on the light to 6 or 7 hours will help with the algae. Also try some more plants, a large plant mass seems to help control algae. Since crypts grow well for you try a few more varieties. I like Spiralis and Balansae, they both have long, tall leaves sort of like Valisneria. 

This. I will only add; DPTA chelated iron would be better with a pH of 7.0.